House GOP vote to hold Hunter Biden in contempt
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STORY: Republicans in both the House Oversight and Judiciary committees voted to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress on Wednesday.
They had called the U.S. President's son last month to testify behind closed doors, in an impeachment inquiry against his father.
Instead the younger Biden refused to appear, saying he would testify PUBLICLY... which the Republicans refused.
Then on Wednesday, Hunter made a surprise appearance at the Oversight Committee’s hearing on the matter.
Some Republicans there reacted angrily to his sudden visit.
"You are the epitome of white privilege -- coming into the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls to come up here!"
Democrat Jared Moskowitz asked why the committee would not take his testimony right there and then.
"The witness accepted the chairman's invitation. It just so happens the witness is here. Let's vote. Let's take a vote. Who wants to hear from Hunter right now, today?"
In a statement to reporters afterward, Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell said:
"We have offered to work with the House committees to see what and how relevant information to any legitimate inquiry could be provided. Our first five offers were ignored. And then in November, they issued a subpoena for a behind-closed-doors deposition, a tactic that the Republicans have repeatedly misused in their political crusade to selectively leak and mischaracterize."
The GOP-led impeachment inquiry claims Biden and his family profited improperly during Joe Biden's stint as vice president.
Though they've produced scant evidence to back claims of wrongdoing linking Joe Biden to his son's business dealings.
The full House has yet to vote on whether Hunter should be held in contempt of Congress - it's usually the next step after a committee has held its own vote.
He faces other legal troubles, from federal charges on evading tax, to charges he lied about his drug use when buying a handgun.
